Oregon rock shelter yields tools dating to 18,250 years ago

Researchers from the University of Oregon have reported the discovery of two orange‑agate stone tools and the teeth of extinct camel and bison at Rimrock Draw, a site in Oregon previously identified as an ancient rock shelter. Radiocarbon analysis of the enamel on the teeth indicates an age of roughly 18,250 years, considerably older than the roughly 13,000‑year timeline that has long been accepted for the first human arrival in the Americas.

The findings were presented by a team that includes anthropologist Professor David Lewis of Oregon State University. Lewis noted that the early date “aligns well with the oral histories of the tribal nations in the region, many of whom have stories about witnessing geological events like the Missoula floods” that occurred between 18,000 and 15,000 years ago. He added that tribal narratives describing encounters with large animals may correspond to the presence of megafauna such as the camel and bison whose remains were found at the site.

If the dating is confirmed, the Rimrock Draw evidence could push back the known timeline for human occupation in the Pacific Northwest by several millennia. However, the claim remains subject to peer review, and further excavation and analysis will be needed to corroborate the association between the tools and the dated animal remains.

The discovery joins a growing body of research that challenges traditional models of early settlement in North America, suggesting that people may have entered the continent earlier than previously thought.